Throw Rag – 2nd Place

The dudes that roam the Salton Sea are back with a new-ish album on Acetate Records. It’s called “2nd Place” and it’s filled with a whoppin’ 17 songs including 12 new tracks and live favorites such as “Bag Of Glue”, “Hang Up” and “Hollywood”.

I’ve been a fan ever since I heard “Desert Shores” and became even more of a fan after having seen them play live. Armed with nasty punkrock, a washboard, a snotty vocalist and an invasion of styles that pop up out of nowhere throughout the album, Throw Rag doesn’t bore for a single second. A little bit of The Damned here (“Space Hump Me”), some blues there and Mexican influences in opener “Si Dios Quiere”, it’s all they need to get me all riled up. And in case you don’t pick up on the fun and the band’s energy after “Desert Shores”, “Mission’s Message”, you still have “Don’t Be Afraid To Pogo” (originally by The Gears) left to whip you up in a frenzy.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.acetate.com
http://www.throwrag.com

Volcano! – Paperwork

Goddammit, what’s that ruckus? Oh, it’s one of Leaf’s latest additions to their roster. If you like experimental pop music, this might be something for you… me, I just hear a dude with a falsetto voice, lots of things vaguely resembling riffs, lots of electronic noises and a drummer who seems to think his own about the whole thing.
Score: 3 out of 10
http://www.theleaflabel.com
http://www.volcanoisaband.com

The Uglysuit – S/T

Opener “Brownblue’s Passing” starts off quietly enough and then trickles along softly with some sweet guitar lines. And then there’s the accordeon that starts off “Chicago”, a song which then blooms open in the chorus and I realize I’m sold.

The Uglysuit are six guys from Oklahoma that have been playing together since their teens and who felt the time was finally right to drop a debut full-length.

The rest of the album is filled with mellow indiepop songs with some postrock floating around. The catchy choruses and sweet guitars keep coming back in pretty much every single song, enhanced here and there with piano. The songs might be a little too drawn out for some but I can see a bright future ahead for The Uglysuit.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.quarterstickrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/theuglysuit

Static Thought - The Motive For Movement

Static Thought from San Francisco figured it out, they’ve got the motive for movement! And according to them it consists of playing streetpunk with a little ska here and some hardcore there and waiting to see what sticks while singing about all the different clichés in the rulebook.

Actually, I shouldn’t be that crude about Static Thought because “The Motive For Movement” is a tightly played and effective album that I can enjoy from start to finish. Unfortunately nothing really sticks afterwards.

For fans of The Unseen and other streetpunk outfits. As for Hellcat, this is already a step forward for them seeing as they have been releasing one crappy album after the next for quite some time now. But we’re still not quite back up there!
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.hell-cat.com
http://www.myspace.com/staticthought

Civet – Hell Hath No Fury

On their Hellcat debut, Civet is out to maim, scar and ultimately kill with anyone who has ever tried to mess with them. The all-female band sounds like a Joan Jett from hell or the Distillers if they were to use more hooks with a little bit of Rancid thrown in because well, they are on Hellcat after all.

As cute and gorgeous as they may look, their songs are hard as nails and gritty as fuck and deserve to be played at maximum volume. Just have a listen to “1989” or “”Bad Luck”… it’s like listening to The Donnas gone bad!

With “Hell Hath No Fury” Civet simply prove that they are a very solid band that can easily kick the living shit out of any testosteron-filled band that thrives and throbs in the seedy underbelly of the punk scene.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.hell-cat.com
http://www.myspace.com/civet

Able Baker Fox – Voices

Once upon a time (about five years ago), two bands came together as one and released an EP on which everyone collaborated. Those two bands were The Casket Lottery and Small Brown Bike. Now those two bands have umm… come together as one even more and formed Able Baker Fox. The line-up consists of Nathan Ellis (The Casket Lottery, Coalesce) and Mike Reed, Ben Reed and Jeff Gensterblum, all three of them formerly of Small Brown Bike.

Expect loads of jangly guitars and a solid vocal tradeoff between Reed and Ellis. Both bands had a very distinctive sound and somehow Able Baker Fox manages to come up with something different but which at the same time is reminiscent of both their former outfits.

From opener “October” to the closing track - and album highlight - “Whispering”, the band cranks out one solid melodic yet edgy song after the other, making “Voices” an album that stands on its own two feet and doesn’t really need the ‘featuring former members of…’ introduction.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.arcticrodeorecordings.com
http://www.ablebakerfox.com

Chesterfield – Death Grip

I only knew Chesterfield as a brand of cigarettes, but after having heard “Death Grip” I can tell you that the band Chesterfield is equally lethal as cigarette smoke. Behind the cheesy album cover, you’ll find ten punkrock songs in a style that you just don’t hear often enough these days… mostly because well, it ain’t the nineties no more and skatepunks around the world have moved on to something new.

The songs on here are catchy and melodic and come with a hardcore edge… think 88 Fingers Louie, a less technical Strung Out or the tragically shortlived Zero Down. All of which are great names to be compared to, but when a band manages to write cuts like “Questioning It All” or “Easier” I think those comparisons are more than called for.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.mentalrecords.net

Death Vessel – Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us

Death Vessel is the latest techmetal band to emerge from Sweden. Oh no, wait… it’s actually Joel Thibodeau’s project. You know… the guy that sings like a little girl? He previously released “Stay Close” in 2005, got signed to Sub Pop in 2006 and then needed two years to write the follow-up.

“Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us” is filled with folk songs that occasionally remind me of Iron & Wine and are outfitted with arrangements that are as intimate as they are intricate. Thibodeau and the other musicians used every single instrument they could get their hands on including things called a flukulele and a cornet. Hell, there are even people playing on wine glasses and railroad spikes at some point.

It all sounds mighty interesting and it’s pretty music when you’re listening to it but once the album is over, I’m not remembering too much of it. Maybe I’ll just have to listen to it one more time to find out if that is still true.
Score: 6.5 out of 10
http://www.subpop.com
http://www.myspace.com/deathvessel

Damien Jurado – Caught In The Trees

Seattle-based Damien Jurado already has quite the back catalog with eight full-lengths and he simply keeps plowing on. With “Caught In The Trees” for example, on which he strays away from third-person narratives and turns to something that at least feels like it’s more personal.

Another difference is that the music is more of a group effort than on past releases with longtime contributor Eric Fisher laying down some tasteful guitar lines and Jenna Conrad helping out with string arrangements and backing vocals that suit Jurado’s voice perfectly.

Damien Jurado has always had a knack for writing melancholic tunes with dark lyrics. Even when the music feels kinda happy, the lyrics are not. And they only get darker when the music is not less happy. “Caskets” is one of those songs that Elliott Smith unfortunately never got round to writing and “Sheets” is simply put, beautiful. As is most of the album come to think of it. Guess I’m just a sucker for clinically depressed music.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.secretlycanadian.com
http://www.damienjurado.com

The Human Abstract – Midheaven

What does a band do when it loses one of its key members? Call it a day and maybe start another band sooner or later or replace said member? The Human Abstract opted for the second option and traded in lead guitarist A.J. Minette for Andrew Tapley and then proceeded by adding Sean Leonard on keyboard.

While the band is still as technically skilled as they were on their debut (what? you mean they didn’t start playing worse?), much of the band’s heavier moments have been trimmed away leaving a weird mix of classical rock, progressive metal and screamo. Kinda like a progressive, techier version of Avenged Sevenfold.

Sometimes this works, sometimes not so much. I’m still confused about “Midheaven” just like I’m still confused over Protest The Hero’s albums. Both bands can play, they both cram a shitload of ideas in every single song and while some of those ideas are really, really good, I can’t be bothered to stay focused.
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.hopelessrecords.com
http://www.thehumanabstract.com

There For Tomorrow – S/T

In between all the breakdown-laden metalcore, self-indulgent indie rock and serious singer/songwriter music I’m subjected to on a daily basis, I’m happy to find an unpretentious poppunk release every now and again. There For Tomorrow is one of those pleasant surprises and their self-titled 7-song EP is pure earcandy. Hooky guitars, catchy melodies and and a pleasant voice are all the ingredients I need to call this a solid release.

I am however obligated to tell you that the songs kinda tend to sound the same and yadda yadda yadda… fact remains that fans of Saosin will love this release!
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.hopelessrecords.com
http://www.therefortomorrow.com

H2O – Live August 19, 2002 – The Bowery Collection

The latest installment in the Bowery Collection, is a fine set played by NYHC stalwarts H2O. They played a great set on that August night including but not limited to “F.T.T.W.”, “Thicker Than Water” and “Spirit Of ‘84”.

The sound is pretty good, the energy levels are soaring skyhigh and by buying this disc, you’re supporting the Hilly Krystal Foundation for Musicians and Artists… there’s simply no going wrong here with another fine recording straight from the soundboards of CBGB.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.mvdaudio.com
http://www.h2ogo.com

Sparkadia – Postcards

Sparkadia is an Australian band that until very recently was completely unknown to me. With “Postcards” they made a favorable impression though and as far as I’m concerned we can stay penpals from now on.

They play a kind of decent pop/rock that might be a little too sugary at times (“Connected”… Beirut meets Radiohead anyone?) but when they whip out a sunny cut like “Too Much To Do” or “Morning Light”, I’m sold! Or what about “Animals”, which shows a more rocking Sparkadia? Love it!

I’m not yet completely sold as a fan, there are too many ups and downs for that to happen, but I’m fairly sure that with a little more time these guys are going to come up with a truly amazing album. Why? Because they already write catchy songs, have found a great set of pipes in Alex Burnett and the backing vocals by Tiffany Preece more than once lift the song to a higher level.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.arkrecordings.com
http://www.sparkadia.com

Trapt – Only Through The Pain

If you’re waiting for another radio-friendly modern rock/pop album that is completely overproduced and has layer upon layer of guitars and vocals that no band can ever reproduce live, then check out “Only Through The Pain”.

If you like all of the bands on the Wind-Up roster, then check out “Only Through The Pain”.

If you need an album that you can listen to with your mom without her being offended, check out “Only Through The Pain”.

If you’re looking for an album that’s so painfully middle of the road and without even a hint of originality, then check out “Only Through The Pain”.

For everyone else, stay as far away as as possible from this album.
Score: 3 out of 10
http://www.elevenseven.net
http://www.trapt.com

After The Burial – Rareform

After The Burial are the latest entry in the whole tech-metal/death metal scene and on “Rareform” they prove they’ve got the technical skills to blend right in. The double bass blasts away merrily up to the point where I’m convinced that the drummer is still kicking that damn pedal in his sleep while the guitars are shredding and vocalist Grant Luoma is busy trying to find his way home by clawing his way through the songs, screaming, grunting, screeching and yelling.

There are plenty of parts to be found throughout the album’s eight songs that’ll blindside you - the same kinda parts that Between The Buried And Me like to throw in when you’re not looking - which gives the whole just that little bit extra. If you’re into this kinda mayhem, do the band and yourself a favor and pick up a copy of “Rareform”.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.sumerianrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/aftertheburial

Emiliana Torrini – Me And Armini

Emiliana Torrini did some growing since 2004’s “Fisherman’s Woman”. Musically that is. Whereas that album was filled with mostly fragile acoustic songs like opener “Fireheads” on her latest release, you wouldn’t have found the happily bouncing reggae-influenced title track on that release. Logically, because that album wasn’t called “Me And Armini”. Or that song where she’s declaring her love with a heart that’s beating like a jungle drum. Or “Gun”, which is built around a menacing guitar riff and would fit perfectly on a Quentin Tarantino soundtrack if you ask me.

No matter which style she has her songs reeling into, Torrini always has the perfect voice to go with every single one of them. The half-Icelandic, half-Italian beauty did an awesome job on “Me And Armini” as far as I’m concerned and will no doubt get a whole lot bigger with this album. If you hurry, you’ll still be among those who can say they already listened to her captivating voice before she got huge. Not physically huge though, that would be a shame.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.roughtraderecords.com
http://www.emilianatorrini.com

Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing

Fuck Buttons is a duo from England that has a lot of people talking. Some claim it's too inviting to be called noise while others seem to think it's too loud to be considered pop. Pop-noise it is then. I don't really care too much about labels, as long as the music is good. And that is definitely the case on "Street Horrrsing".

Opener "Sweet Love For Planet Earth" opens sweetly enough with some clocks but then the distorted synths and screams come in after a while and take over. Those same synths are back in "Okay Let's Talk About Magic", a 10-minute long mindfuck that - when played loud enough - will no doubt send one of your colleagues on a killing spree. During which you can play "Ribs Out" which with its tribal sounds would make a fine soundtrack. And of course you could play "Bright Tomorrow" at the funeral a week later. It would do great there with the organ sounds.

Anyway, "Street Horrrsing" was recorded by Mogwai's John Cummings and mastered by Shellac's Bob Weston which should give you an even better idea of what to expect of Fuck Buttons. It might not be equally suited for everyone and maybe it's not innovative enough for all the noiselovers around the world but that doesn't take away from the fact that these two guys released a pretty cool album with "Street Horrrsing".
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.atprecordings.com

http://www.myspace.com/fuckbuttons

The Rascals - Rascalize

Miles Kane is probably better known as half of The Last Shadow Puppets, his side-project with Alex Turner from The Arctic Monkeys. But he also stars as the leading man in The Rascals, a band where the guitars do the talking rather than string sections. On "Rascalize" they churn out twelve psychedelic rock jams that are not awe-inspiring but entertaining nonetheless for fans of The Coral or The Inspiral Carpets with "The Glorified Collector", "Does Your Husband Know That You're On The Run?" and lead single "Freakbeat Phantom" functioning as the album's highlights.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.deltasonic.com

http://www.therascals.co.uk

Negative - Karma Killer

Negative had a lot going against 'em as soon as I held the album in my hands. They're from Finland for one thing which is the land of a 1000 musical atrocities as far as I'm concerned. They worked with producer Mikko Karmila, who previously fiddled knobs for two of those musical atrocities, Children of Bodom and Nightwish. And these guys play glam rock for crying out loud! No, I didn't hold any high hopes for "Karma Killer".

So imagine my surprise when they cranked out one bombastic chorus after the other catchy song with the punky "Motherfucker (Like You)" as the highlight of the album. Prejudice is such an ugly thing and I promise I'll try my hardest from now on to never hold 'em against anything ever again. Of course, that doesn't take away from the fact that like Him, this is one of those albums you hate to love and while happily ticking off one musical cliché after the next, I couldn't help myself but sing along with at least half of the songs on here.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.edel.com

http://www.negative.fi

Sky Eats Airplane - S/T

Sky Eats Airplane already has two things going for them right off the bat. First, there is the matter of their band name which is catchy and funny. And then there's the fact that one of the guys in the band is named Lee Duck. How cool a last name is that?

Anyway, this Fort Worth, TX based outfit plays the kind of metalcore that starts and stops a lot and is built upon a solid base of jazz progressions on which they then dump a shitload of electronics. Ever had two sites open at the same time with music playing on both of them? That's kind of the feeling I had while listening to this band's eponymous release. The way they switch between poppy parts and metalcore outbursts... I just couldn't seem to wrap my head around it at first. But then I got back to the 6-minute long "Transparent" and a couple of other track tracks and started to dig them. It's not an album that I'll listen to a lot but at least it's better than I first gave it credit for.

Sky Eats Airplane may not be the best thing you'll hear this year but at least they're not a demonic band which is something that caused many a sleepless night for me until I found this thread:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080824164502AAZokrb

Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.equalvision.com

http://www.skyeatsairplane.com

My America Is Watching Tigers Die - Stone Age

Pissed off, angry beyond belief, furious... these are a couple of terms that could be used to describe My America Is Watching Tigers Die. But they wouldn't do the band's sound any justice. "Stone Age" is filled with the kind of songs that are intense as say, fuck. Yeah, that's it... intense as fuck. The sludgy production suits the songs perfectly and while most of the band is welcoming you into their world, vocalist David Rushman is already working on ripping your skin to shreds with his maniacal screams. I'm normally not too keen on all things Converge, but I'm seriously digging "Stone Age" and I for one am happy that these dudes found a way to vent all their frustrations through their music because otherwise a lot of innocent lives would no doubt be wasted in the Delaware area.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.plutorecords.com

http://www.myspace.com/watchingtigersdie

Kimya Dawson – Alphabutt

Tired of hearing your kids yelp the same inane kids’ songs over and over again? Do yourself and your kids a favor and pick up “Alphabutt”, which is anti-folk hero Kimya Dawson’t latest collection of songs.

Anally fixated is one way to describe the music which deals with butts or doo-doo most of the time. Jangly and armed with a warped sense of humor would be another. Either way, your kids will love it and will sing the slightly irreverent lyrics along in no time. Just like Dawson’s contributions on the Juno soundtrack, the songs and especially the lyrics are endearing and witty making “Alphabutt” a fun yet sometimes slightly weird listening experience
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.krecs.com
http://www.kimyadawson.com

Chrome Division – Booze, Broads And Beelzebub

“Booze, Broads and Beelzebub”… rarely do you get an album that sums up the core message so clearly. What Chrome Division does on album number two is the exact same thing Motörhead has already been doing since time began. Play loud rock n roll music with lyrics about girls, drinking, drinking girls, the devil, devilish girls, bars, fights and barfights about drinking girls. It all sounds nice enough though yet it doesn’t really make much of a lasting impression. Someone send these guys on tour with Volbeat and watch a drunk crowd go nuts!
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.nuclearblast.de
http://www.chromedivision.com

Jeff Loomis – Zero Order Phase

Now that Nevermore is taking a break, it’s time for some solo projects. We already had vocalist Warrel Dane’s solo effort and with “Zero Order Phase”, it’s now guitarist Jeff Loomis’ turn to take matters into his own hands.

Loomis is an excellent guitarist and he likes to demonstrate that on all of the songs on the album. Opener “Shouting Fire At A Funeral” starts things off in a great way with a mellow melodic riff that could’ve come straight off of Joe Satriani’s “The Extremist”. Most of the time though Loomis never strays too far from the Nevermore sound. Which can be seen as a negative because what’s the point of a solo album if you’re just gonna keep on playing the exact same thing? And I have to say that a completely instrumental album, is a bit too much to keep me focused. I keep waiting for Warrel Dane’s vocals to come in to make the whole thing more diverse. Unfortunately that never happens. So in the end you’re stuck with an album that is a must for all the Nevermore fans but is less interesting than a Nevermore album for everyone else.
Score: 6.5 out of 10
http://www.centurymedia.de
http://www.jeffloomis.com

Man Without Wax – Anchor

Burn the last of those flannel shirts and go get a haircut while you’re at it! The Seattle music scene has changed a lot since grunge rolled into town and that statement has now again been proven by Man Without Wax. On “Anchor” these guys sound like a band that has been going at it for some time already but instead they’re just getting their feet wet with what is in fact their debut.

With a production job by Casey Bates (Chiodos, Portugal The Man), you know you can expect some bombastic rock and he once again does not fail to deliver. Opener “You Pull Me Through Time” sounds like something Muse just didn’t get round to writing yet while first single “Kansas City Shuffle” sounds like a My Chemical Romance song actually worth hearing. “Volcano”-era Gatsby’s American Dream is a name that came to mind a bunch of times while listening to most of the songs on “Anchor” and you know that’s not a bad thing!

Armed with upbeat rhythms, two guitars, lots of vocal diversity and a whole lot of keyboard sounds in all the right places, Man Without Wax wrote an album that races by in no time leaving you wanting only more.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.eyeballrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/manwithoutwax

Arkangel – Is The Enemy

After four years of silence (even though that is relative when it comes to Arkangel), one of the first Belgian metalcore bands is back with a new album. “Arkangel Is The Enemy” is filled with the kind of brutal stuff that these guys have become known for over the years and I have to say it’s a step forward again compared to “Hope You Die By Overdoes”. Even though the artwork is pretty frigging ugly.

They once again start things off in a high gear and never look back except for the occasional melodic part. This is one big trip back to the metalcore sound of the mid 90s with Slayer riffs, plenty of double bass drum action and of course Baldur’s insane voice. If you like your metalcore dark and sinister, then Arkangel will do the trick just fine!
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.gsrmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/privatehell

Daymares - Toothless & Fanged MCD

After Elvis Deluxe, this is another pleasant surprise from Poland for me. So not only do they have beautiful women there, they also make good music... I might have to book me a holiday! On this 6-song release, Daymares cranks out some hardhitting violence that will permanently fuck up your hearing in no time. With a sound that holds up between a sleazy Entombed fucking an even sleazier Cursed with bands like Tragedy and High On Fire cheering them on, this disc sounds the best when you crank it all the way up.

Doesn't matter whether it's crusty hardcore or gritty death n roll that you're looking for, Daymares does 'em both equally well on "Toothless & Fanged" and close the whole thing off with a Neurosis cover of "Life On Your Knees". Good stuff!
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.myspace.com/getbyrecs

http://www.myspace.com/yourdaymares

Gob Squad – Watch The Cripple Dance

Denmark’s Gob Squad doesn’t reinvent punkrock on “Watch The Cripple Dance” but they did manage to write an album that’s catchy and energetic and where most of the songs house a catchy chorus or melodic hook. For a couple of reason I keep thinking of Billy Talent when listening to this disc which I would’ve liked a lot more if it weren’t for some unfortunate inclusions which would’ve better been left out (“Stand Up And Fight” for example).
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.mascotrecords.com
http://www.gobsquad.dk

One Day As A Lion – S/T EP

After 8 years One Day As A Lion’s debut EP, marks the return of Zach de la Rocha behind the mic. He still sounds as pissed off as ever, raging against religion, repression and the war. He does this over rhythms laid down by former Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore while de la Rocha throws in some heavily distorted keyboard sounds. All five songs sound mean, bare and you should hear them because they’ll make your stereo rattle, especially during the opening track “Wild International” and “If You Fear Dying”.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.anti.com
http://www.onedayasalion.org

Elvis Deluxe – Lazy

With a name like Elvis Deluxe I was expecting two geeks and some electronics unleashing crappy elektro versions of The King’s songs. Fortunately for me, these guys have the kind of amps that go up to 11 so they can blast out all their stoner riffs in all their splendid grandeur.

These guys sound like they came straight out of the desert following in the footsteps of Kyuss but instead they call Poland home. They’ve got tons of laidback groove, a singer who has the voice to go with this kind of music, a sturdy rhythm section and most important, they have the power of the riff down pat. Whick makes “Lazy” an album that’s okay in my book.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.myspace.com/getbyrecs
http://www.myspace.com/elvisdeluxe

Hifi Handgrenades – Carry On

What to expect when former members of skapunk/hardcore outfit Suicide Machines start a new band? More of the same or something else? On “Carry On”, Hifi Handgrenades’ debut, it’s something else… expect a lot of Cheap Tricked powerpop mixed in with some hardcore punk.

The ten songs snap away nicely and after a mere 30 minutes it’s all over. Not once did it annoy me but I couldn’t exactly remember a whole lot about the album afterwards either. Several more listens didn’t reveal anything I hadn’t already heard the first time, making this one of those albums that’s ‘just’ an enjoyable way to pass the time. Tracks like “Carry On” or “Heart Of Steel” start off nice enough but never deliver that hook or riff you’re so desperately waiting for. I think these guys can do a whole lot better but for now the Superchunk cover of “Detroit Has A Skyline” is the best song on here!
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.deckcheese.com
http://www.myspace.com/hifihandgrenades

The Blakes – S/T

The Blakes’ self-titled debut opens with a mean left to the chin… a dirty riff throws you off just long enough for vocalist Garnet Keim to land the punch. “Don’t Bother Me” sounds a bit more restrained… kinda like the first song after a couple of anger management classes. Next up is “Magoo” which sounds like the Stones before they got old.

I can keep on going describing song after song but fact is that The Blakes wrote a solid rock album on which they most certainly do sound like all the other ‘The’ bands. Yes, they do wear their influences on their sleeve (of a tattered and torn leather jacket no doubt), but they are energetic like The Stooges and have enough memorable melodies to make it an album worth hearing if you’re into the kind of bands that like to combine garage rock on ‘roids with the janglier sounds of Britpop..
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.lightintheattic.net
http://www.strangeadditcionrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/theblakes

Ceremony – Still Nothing Moves You

When Ceremony floored a whole bunch of people in 2006 with “Violence, Violence”, it quickly became obvious that they were big fans of getting in, doing their thing fast and dirty and then getting the fuck out. Luckily for those of you who missed out, the band is now planning on doing the whole thing all over again with “Still Nothing Moves You”. With a couple of differences…

Like letting songs go on for four minutes. That’s something that was previously unheard of in Ceremony’s world! The agression and of course the violence, violence is still there but it’s no longer a single, quick bullet in the head. No, this time around the guys in Ceremony like to take their time. They want to make you hurt by throwing in some vicious sludgy parts before you’re allowed the easy way out while they belt out another despair-filled chorus. It’s every bit as aggressive and in your face though. This in no small part thanks to the heavily bass-driven production job that makes the whole thing sound particularly nasty. Having Blacklisted's George Hirsch and Life Long Tragedy’s Cody Sullivan scream along is like the little cherry on top of this monster making this yet another one of 2008’s hardcore releases you just can’t look past!
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.bridge9.com
http://www.myspace.com/ceremony

The Sketch – Best Kid In Town

If The Sketch was at all funny, I didn’t get the clue… “Best Kid In Town” is a 6-song EP by this Kent-based band and while they do an okay job of playing of emorock meets poppunk, they’re just a dime a dozen really. I can see them opening for bigger bands like Get Up Kids (if they were still around) without any problems but I doubt it’ll go any further.
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.engineerrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/thesketchmusic

Wolftron – Flesh & Fears

Wolftron is another one of Kenny Choi’s (Daphne Loves Derby) solo projects and no, it has nothing to do with metal or rock n roll. Which was my first guess based solely on the name. Instead “Flesh & Fears” is filled with the kind of poppy songs that are excellent to lull you to sleep. In a good way, not because they’re boring.

The songs are dreamy, gently trickle along and the guitars, keys and strings are all nicely layered on top of one another. Just well-written classic pop. Add Choi’s vocals to that and you’ve painted yourself a pretty little picture that no one will object to.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.eyeballrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/wolftron

E For Explosion – Reinventing The Heartbeat

Previously known as one half of JamisonParker, Jamison Covington is back with a new project called E For Explosion. It’s been kinda quiet around the guy for a while, but once he inked a deal with Eyeball Records, he immediately joined Dave Trumfio (Grandaddy, Billy Bragg & Wilco, My Morning Jacket) in the studio and recorded what would become “Reinventing The Heartbeat.

You can still hear some JamisonParker obviously. The music isn’t that much of a stretch from what he used to do. And then there’s of course his breathing singing/whispering which most people either love or hate. But I’m also hearing some The Jesus & Mary Chain in “Antartctica” and a little bit of The Cure in a track like “You Know Who You Are”. At times it all sounds a little too sweet for my taste but when Covington combines the poppy with the lush like in the title track, you notice this guy is really onto something that might not only appeal to his older fans, but could just as well win over some new ones!
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.eyeballrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/eforexplosion

V/A – Where The Bad Boys Rock 4

The fourth installment in the “Where The Bad Boys Rock” series, is once again a nice showcase of what People Like You Records has to offer us. And that’s a lot because they pretty much have every psychobilly, speedrock, punk and rock n roll act on their roster from here to whatever’s the hottest redneck club in ?, Alabama at the moment.

This compilation boasts 25 songs by as many artists and it’s so cheap that you’ll still have enough money left over to buy a couple of beers. That way you can get drunk while listening to Broilers or Chip Hanna only to then pass out to the sounds of The Meteors and The Peacocks!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.peoplelikeyou.de

Lightning Daze – Caught In A Frame

Lightning Daze is an Italian band that takes more than just a couple of cues from acts like early Get Up Kids. Problem is that the production sounds a little too frumpy for my taste and it’s all just a little bit too formulaic and simple without any memorable hooks. Songs gently trickle along without me really taking notice even though I’m trying to.
Score: 5.5 out of 10
http://www.engineerrecords.com
http://www.lightningdaze.com

Nine Days To No One – Disrecordings

This could’ve been a brilliant album! If only these guys knew how to write a song instead of copy-pasting one shitty mathcore part after the next screamo part. Apparently they realised this as well and broke up five years ago. No, you won’t see me crying about it.
Score: 2 out of 10
http://www.engineerrecords.com

Cute Is What We Aim For – Rotation

I was once thinking about starting this extremely brutal band and then calling it Cute Is What We Aim For. Alas, the name was already taken and now I find myself listening to the band’s second album which indeed sounds very cute and poppy. I know what you’re thinking… GAY!

But not really. Turns out Cute Is What We Aim For is no longer the same band they were on “The Same Old Blood Rush With A New Touch”. Instead they delivered a poppy album with “Rotation” that yes, still has a lot of songs that deal with girls and yes, still has very shitty lyrics. But unlike most of the Fueled By Ramen or Decaydance acts, they are not trying to sound like Panic At The Disco which is something to be admired. And it’s ridiculously catchy. And I’m in a good mood. Hence…
Score: 6.5 out of 10
http://www.fueledbyramen.com
http://www.cuteiswhatweaimfor.com

Camper Van Beethoven interview

For those of you who haven't heard of Camper Van Beethoven are missing out on a treat. They were and still are one of the more adventurous indie bands out there and wrote one of my favorite indie songs ever with "Take The Skinheads Bowling". They recently released a singles collection called "Popular Songs Of Great Enduring Strength And Beauty" which you should definitely check out! Here's an email interview we did with Jonathan Siegel.

PRT: Who is in the band right now? Because I read you are playing shows with a lot of former members and friends helping out.
Jonathan: for the past several years, that band has been David Lowery, Victor Krummenacher, Greg Lisher and myself (Jonathan Segel), as it was through most of the 1980s, though since our original drummer Chris Pedersen moved to Australia, Cracker's drummer, Frank Funaro has been playing with us since 2002. Chris did play with us at our Camp-Out Festival in 2005, and Chris Molla did play guitar with us at our 21st Birthday show, but mostly it's just been the 5 of us.

PRT: Suppose someone just crawled from under a rock and hasn't ever heard Camper Van Beethoven before... if Camper Van Beethoven was the lovechild of two other bands, which acts would've had sex and which position were you conceived in?
Jonathan: well, probably it would've been more than two, some sort of orgy wherein the paternity is highly questionable. I can see Captain Beefhart doing REM doggy style while the Clash are fucking the Grateful Dead up against a wall, Kaleidoscope and the Kinks are in some sort of stoned revery laying around on beanbag chairs idly playing with themselves. Etcetera.

PRT: You recently played a show at The Fillmore to celebrate the band's 25th birthday. Did you do anything special or was it 'just another' show for you? And isn't it actually more like the band's 15th birthday?
Jonathan: the band started in the early 1980s in Redlands, CA, while David and Chris Molla were on summer break from college at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Victor came to UCSC in 1982 and that's when i joined, late 1982. i think we started playing shows in Santa Cruz in 1983 so yeah, 2008 is 25 years.
the Fillmore show was special. we tried to play songs from all of our albums and eras, we played for over 2 hours. we all dressed nicely (that's a new one.) The day after, we had a small after-show show where my band and Victor's bands played.
check it out:
http://www.archive.org/details/CVB2008-06-28.matrix
http://www.archive.org/details/jsegel2008-06-29.matrix
http://www.archive.org/details/victork2008-06-29.matrix

PRT: After having been around for so long and having played in several other bands as well, is there like one thing you would still like to achieve with your music?
Jonathan: i'm still trying to play it right! i think we all genuinely love music– playing music, listening to music, and we're all trying to get better at what we do, both in playing and writing. violin has been a long and hard row to hoe for me, as i started as a guitar player (i pretty much only play guitar when on my own) so a lot of my impetus is trying to get better at doing what i do. A far as achievements, i don't know. i'm hoping for that next transcendental song, that lifts the players and the audience when we play it. we seem to get one or two with every album.

PRT: The best way to get a good view of all the different projects you guys are involved in, is the annual Camp Out festival... how did that get started exactly and how much fun is that for you guys?
Jonathan: this is our fourth year of doing the festival... i think it got started just because we all had so many things to present and we were trying to figure out how to consolidate them all! David has a cabin up the dirt road from the Pioneertown Palace, and Cracker had recorded there, we'd all played there several times, so we thought that would be a great place to do it, out in the desert in a little village that was built to shoot western movies in the 1940s.
It's really fun to play, but it gets hectic trying to keep up with everything. for instance, i play with Camper, with my own band, with Victor's band, sometimes with Greg's band, sometimes with Cracker also. and we do signings and stuff. hang out in the merchandise booth and talk to people. It's a great scene and we've had great bands play there with us too, like Sun Kil Moon, Neko Case, John Doe, Magnolia Electric Company. this year we have Built to Spill, Quasi, Citay, Brant Bjork.

PRT: Speaking of starting out, when you first came out on the scene you guys kind of stuck out in the punk scene by mixing up a bunch of different genres and by using a lot of humor in a scene were that just wasn't done. Was that something that made you want to take it even further?
Jonathan: well, yeah. when the music scene moved into more DIY stuff in the late 70s it was very much in retaliation to the stadium rock posing, but it didn't take long before punk rock became codified, especially in california (or more so in southern california.) so the whole idea of dogma in a musical scene just got our goats so we had to poke fun at them. especially the suburban rich kids being all punk (like our songs "club med sucks" or "down and out") who came to shows. we became experts at managing hecklers.

PRT: Have there ever situations were you thought you were sure to get the shit kicked out of you?
Jonathan: many times, but not in punk situations, more in situations like alabama or florida where somebody is just drunk and stupid and pours beer onto your pedalboard and it starts a fight. although even when we were playing in SF a few years ago had some pretty aggressive audience members who eventually got kicked out of the show, and threatened to sue! ("my dad's a lawyer!")

PRT: You were a true indie band back when you started out and I was wondering how you feel about the generalization of the word indie in the music scene today?
Jonathan: it's weird. i'm still indie! i run my own label, make like a few hundred cds that nobody knows about. (http://www.magneticmotorworks.com)
really though, the whole process of the major labels co-opting independent music in the late 80s brought about the demise of our band initially. it's pretty sad. there have been several successive incarnations of what is "indie" music since then, and it has popularized a lot of bands that aren't really that good. i miss musicianship. the massive explosion of people's ability to present their music to world means that there is a lot of crap to wade through to find anything good. College radio suffered and still does so by being targeted by labels as the means to sell their new "indie" bands, where in the early 80s it was still up to the djs to program and search out cool stuff to present. there are still "free-form" stations around that play whatever they want (like KFJC or WFMU) which is nice, but for the most part, if, for example, I sent my new cd to a college station, it's unlikely that without the mechanisms of promotion and money behind it that it would ever get played or even looked at. what's independent about that?

PRT: You recently released a best of album called "Popular Songs Of Great Enduring Strength And Beauty"... how full of yourself are you exactly? :-)
Jonathan: we are intent on mythologizing ourselves! i want action figures.
actually it was based on something we used to say as a joke in concerts a long time ago, we would introduce any song by saying "this next song is a song of great enduring strength and beauty."

PRT: What's your take on the whole RealLife doll versus the classic inflatable doll?
Jonathan: haven't tried them, so there's no empirical evidence to support either. i like real people.

PRT: What's the first thing you think about, when I say: Telephone Free Landslide Victory
Jonathan: we win!

PRT: Tusk
Jonathan: Don't tell me that you love me! Just tell me that you want me! TUSK!

PRT: PunkRockTheory.com
Jonathan: there's a theory?

PRT: Take The Skinheads Bowling
Jonathan: got big lanes.

PRT: Have there ever been days when you were fed up with music and just wanted to do something completely different?
Jonathan: more so with the business end of music than the music end of it. every time i make a new cd, i think this is the last time i want to go through with that. but of course that never happens. i'd love to retire! sit by the lake and paint, uh huh. how long would that last?

PRT: What's up next for you guys? Plans for touring Europe? New releases?
Jonathan: Europe touring is hard, it's way too expensive for us. we live in a third world country, you know (the US of A.)
i'm occasionally playing rock shows supporting my "Honey" cd and working on the computers trying to find a new Chaos Butterfly sound. Victor is finishing two, yes two, new cds, "Patriarch's Blues" and "McCabe and Mrs Miller" which is is him and Alison Faith Levy. David is working on a solo cd and a Cracker cd. Camper is playing every couple months and biding our time 'til we can all get together and write a new record together. meanwhile, all working our day jobs.

Scars On Broadway – S/T

First there was System Of A Down and when that band went on a hiatus, there was Serj Tankian’s solo album. And now there is Scars On Broadway, vocalist-guitarist Daron Malakian and – to a lesser degree - drummer John Dolmayan’s new pet project.

On their self-titled debut they prove that they are every bit as diverse, obnoxious and catchy as System Of A Down but without Tankian’s flair for the operatic. Which is not necessarily a bad thing as is proven right off the bat when the ridiculously catchy opener “Serious” kicks in. From there on it’s 14 more tracks of loud and nervous power chords, 80ies synths and great vocal melodies that you won’t be able to get out of your head after just one listen. SOAD fans need not think twice!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.interscope.com
http://www.scarsonbroadway.com

Another Black Day – S/T

Somewhere between metal and hard rock you’ll find Another Black Day. These Florida natives play a powerful and hard-hitting bunch of songs on their self-titled debut that got my attention. The rhythm section is a sturdy one, the guitars like to shred and vocalist Matthew Wilkof has a voice that’s damn impressive. One moment he sounds like that guy from Disturbed and when his voice is off to another big chorus, you’d swear that Bruce Dickinson started a new band.

The songs might tend to sound alike after a while but I had a good time listening to cuts like “Wicked Soul” and “Crawling” and I’m sure a lot of metalheads will agree!
Score: 6.5 out of 10
http://www.bielerbros.com
http://www.anotherblackday.net

Primal Scream – Beautiful Future

Primal Scream’s latest starts off with the title track and it’s a song that Pulp should’ve written in the nineties. It’s fun but it’s not what I want to hear from these guys. Give me some darkness! Same thing for “Uptown” which comes complete with a Chic-groove… what the fuck? By now I was starting to get a little worried. The Scottish rockers wanted to make a pop album and it seemed like that’s exactly what they did with the help of Peter, Björn And John’s Björn Yttling and Paul Epworth (The Rapture, Maxïmo Park). Hell, they even recorded parts of it in the same studio where ABBA recorded “Dancing Queen”.

Basically these aren’t bad songs, but they are quite simply not what I want to hear on a Primal Scream album. No, then I prefer “I Love To Hurt”, a seedy love affair with CSS’ Lovefoxx or the album closer “Necro Hex Blues” with a seething Josh Homme guitar solo. It would’ve been a way better album with a couple more tracks like that instead of hearing vocalist Bobby Gillespie sing about “The Glory Of Love” or listen to the boring Stones pastiche that is “Zombie Man” (at least the song name matches the song).

“Beautiful Future” shows us a couple of flashes of what these guys can do but unfortunately they are too few and far between to speak of a solid album like “XTRMNTR” or “Screamadelica”.
Score: 7 out of 10
Warner
http://www.primalscream.net

The Chevelles – Barbarella Girl God : Introducing The Chevelles

Sixteen years of cranking out powerchords are rolled up in one CD as a way of introducing this band to the rest of the world. The rest of the world in this case being everything but Australia.
“Barberella Girl God” is filled with the kind of amped up songs that linger between powerpop and poppunk. None of them will ever be considered a classic but all of them are a lot of fun and catchy as hell!
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.wickedcoolrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/thechevelles

V/A – Hours And Hours : A Tribute To Seaweed

Never really listened to Seaweed, just saw a shitload of it on the beach when I was a kid. Nowadays, there doesn’t seem to be so much seaweed washing up on the shores anymore. Is that a result of the seas becoming too polluted or because the seaweed simply doesn’t bother anymore? I don’t know but I do know the band that went by the same name, doesn’t make music anymore.

They were this emotional punkrock band that dabbled in grunge and apparently had a big influence on a whole lot of punk and post-hardcore acts. That’s not something I copied off the bio sheet, I just took one good look at the tracklisting… Favez, Steve Brodsky, Nora, KillWhitneydead and members of The Gaslight Anthem, Boysetsfire, Thursday and Moneen. It’s pretty darn impressive! As are most of the songs on here.

Ryan Mills of Koven starts things off with umm “Start With”, a loud rocker with a big chorus. And I already feel myself becoming a fan of Seaweed (the band, not the sushi ingredient). And things keep going nicely. Whether it’s The Company We Keep’s electronic take on “Steadfast Shrine”, KillWhitneyDead’s brutal take on “Baggage” or Brodsky’s acoustic take on “Chalk The Cracks”, you can always tell that the original must’ve been a solid track.

Granted, with 17 tracks you’re bound to like a couple of them less. But I have to say that compared to other tributes or compilations, I’m digging a whole lot of the material featured here. You can tell this was a labor of love for the folks over at Engineer Records… just a shame that The Draft and This Is Hell didn’t make the final cut with their rumored contributions!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.engineerrecords.com

Soulfly – Conquer

I’ve barely recovered from the Cavalera Conspiracy album and out comes Soulfly with a new album, their sixth already. Max sure knows how to keep himself busy!

There’s no more nu metal like on Soulfly’s first albums. This is straight-up thrash, just like on predecessor “Dark Ages”. Opener “Blood Fire War Hate” is easily the most furious opener of any Soulfly album to date. Another good one is “Unleash” which comes with guest vocals from Throwdown’s Dave Peters.

Ethnic sounds have always been a big part of Soulfly’s sound. They are once again present on “Conquer” but seem to have taken the backseat. There’s less tribal influences on here in between all the brutality, making it all the more effective once a mellow part kicks in. And of course this album closes off with another self-titled track. Not my favorite but hey, what’s a Soulfly album without one?
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com
http://www.soulflyweb.com

The Hold Steady – Stay Positive

“Stay Positive”… after hearing the band’s fourth album I’m definitely positive about their future. Nothing much has changed. This is still music written in and made for bars, even though these Brooklyn dudes have enough energy and power chords to fill an arena. But overall nothing much has changed unless you take the harpsichord in “One For The Cutters” or the horn section in “Sequestered In Memphis into account.

Like the bastard children of Springsteen and The Replacements, The Hold Steady wrestle their way through eleven tales of woe with a little help from Drive-By Truckers’ Patterson Hood and J Mascis’ banjo picking (“Both Crosses”).

It’s not like they’re reinventing the wheel here but they sound like rock is supposed to sound… engaging, explosive and catchy. Absolutely nothing wrong with that!
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.roughtraderecords.com
http://www.theholdsteady.com

Misery Signals – Controller

Misery Signals’ third album “Controller” is like the sequel to a Hollywood blockbuster… everything is the same, only bigger. But whereas most sequels are shit, Misery Signals’ new release thoroughly kicked my ass during the heavy parts, made it easier for me to lick my wounds during the mellow parts with the ambient parts as the perfect way to make “Controller” even more entertaining.

New vocalist Karl Schubach has some friggin’ menacing growls to offer but can switch to a clean singing voice in the bat of an eye. It’s hard to believe it’s the same guy! And if all this already sound pretty promising, throw in a Devin Townsend production job and you’ll find yourself looking at a perfectly good follow-up to “Mirrors” and “Of Malice And The Magnum Heart”.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.ferretstyle.com
http://www.myspace.com/miserysignals